Heat Exchanger With Stacked Plates

ABSTRACT

A heat exchanger ( 1 ) comprises a plurality of stacked plates ( 4, 12, 14 ) inside a box ( 5 ). The plurality of stacked plates ( 4, 12, 14 ) enable an exchange of heat between a first and a second fluid (C, G) circulating in contact with the plurality of stacked plates ( 4, 12, 14 ). The plurality of stacked plates ( 4, 12, 14 ) comprise a stress area ( 70 ) intended to withstand heat variations that may cause mechanical stress. The heat exchanger ( 1 ) further comprises a reinforcement ( 71 ) that is in contact with the stress area ( 70 ) and the box ( 5 ).

The present invention relates to a stacked plate heat exchanger.

The invention applies to any type of heat exchanger, notably for a motorvehicle, for example exchangers intended to be mounted in the enginecompartment of the vehicle such as charger air coolers (CACs) or engineexhaust gas recirculation coolers, also known as EGR exchangers (orEGRCs).

In this field, heat exchangers comprising a heat exchange core bundlecomprising a series of plates stacked parallel on top of one another areknown. The stack of plates forms heat exchange surfaces between which afluid that is to be cooled and a cooling fluid circulate, in alternatelayers, through fluid passage circuits, it being possible for spacers tobe provided to improve the exchange of heat between the fluid that is tobe cooled and the cooling fluid. The stack of plates is thus configuredto define two different circuits: that of the fluid that is to be cooledand that of the cooling fluid.

In these exchangers, the plates are provided with punctured pressedpockets that allow the cooling fluid to circulate perpendicular to theplane of the plate so that said cooling liquid can pass from one coolingliquid circulation layer to the other without communicating with thecirculation layer for fluid that is to be cooled that is situatedbetween them.

Specific mechanical stresses occur at these pressed pockets that definethe cooling fluid circuit, notably during thermal shock testing. Whathappens is that the temperature of the cooling liquid entering andleaving the exchanger at these pockets varies enormously and over a veryshort period of time causing phenomena of differential thermal expansionin the exchanger. There is therefore a risk of the bursting ofconnections at the pressed pockets of two adjacent plates and this maycause cooling liquid to leak in the exchanger.

This set of problems is all the more sensitive when the plates have towithstand external corrosion phenomena (in the case of EGR gases) and/orinternal corrosion phenomena (in the case of the cooling fluid circuit)entailing the use of special materials that have inferior mechanicalproperties.

One known solution for alleviating this problem is to increase thethicknesses of the plates, but this has an unfavorable impact on costand packaging.

The invention seeks to improve the situation.

To this end it proposes a stacked plate heat exchanger comprising a boxinside which there is a plurality of stacked plates which plurality isintended to allow exchange of heat between a first and a second fluidcirculating in contact with said plates, said plates comprising a zoneintended to experience thermal variations liable to create mechanicalstresses, referred to as the stress zone.

According to the invention, said exchanger comprises a reinforcement incontact with said stress zone and the box.

Thus the reinforcement stiffens the stress zone thereby limiting therisks of rupture that may occur at this point.

According to one aspect of the invention, the plates are arranged inpairs, each pair of plates defining a circulation layer for the firstfluid, each plate comprising a zone referred to as the pressed zone thatis provided with pressed pockets for the passage of the first fluid fromone circulation layer for the first fluid to another layer, said stresszone corresponding to said pressed zone. The reinforcement thereforeallows that zone of the plates where the pressed pockets are situated tobe reinforced. The pockets are, for example, punctured at right anglesto the planes in which the plates extend.

According to another aspect of the invention, said exchanger comprises aheat exchange zone intended to encourage the exchange of heat betweenthe first and the second fluid, and what is referred to as a bypass zoneable to allow the second fluid to bypass the heat exchange zone, saidbypass zone corresponding to said stress zone, said reinforcementallowing the second fluid to circulate freely over the entire exchangezone. Thus, the reinforcement covers only the stress zone, i.e. thebypass zone or even the pressed zone, without extending into the heatexchange zone so as to reinforce the stress zone without disrupting theentry of the second fluid into the exchange zone.

According to one embodiment, the plates comprise, at the stress zone, abent-over edge extending in a plane perpendicular to a plane in whichthe plates extend so that contact between the reinforcement and thestress zone is at least via the bent-over edge. The bent-over edges thusallow contact between the reinforcement and the plates to be flat toflat. They improve the mechanical retention of the reinforcement on theplates which is achieved notably by brazing.

According to another embodiment, said box comprises two lateral wallsfacing a peripheral edge of the plates, a lower wall and/or an upperwall which are situated at the top and at the bottom of the plurality ofstacked plates. More specifically, the box may for example comprise fourwalls referred to as the upper, right-hand, lower and left-hand walls,said walls being joined together to form an internal volume in which theplurality of plates is situated.

Advantageously, the reinforcement is in contact with one of the lateralwalls of the box, which wall is situated in the proximity of the stresszone. It is notably the left-hand wall of the box which is situated inproximity to the stress zone. Proximity here refers to a distance ofbetween 0 and 30 mm.

According to one embodiment, the reinforcement is in contact with theupper wall and/or the lower wall. The reinforcement may also be incontact with the left-hand wall, the upper wall and the lower wall ofthe box so as to increase the stiffening it affords to the stress zone.

Advantageously, the reinforcement is continuous from an upper edge to alower edge of said reinforcement so that it is in contact with all saidplates.

According to one aspect of the invention, the upper wall of the boxcomprises a first housing accommodating said reinforcement. The upperwall of the box in particular accommodates the upper edge of thereinforcement. Advantageously, the lateral wall of the box in contactwith said reinforcement comprises a second housing accommodating saidreinforcement. In addition to improving the mechanical retention of thereinforcement on the box, this first housing and/or this second housingallow the reinforcement to be pre-positioned on the box before it issecured to the latter, for example by brazing.

According to another aspect of the invention, an upper end and/or alower end of the reinforcement comprises a first flange, extending in aplane parallel to the plane in which the upper and lower walls of thebox extend so that contact between the reinforcement and the upper walland/or between the reinforcement and the lower wall is flat-to-flat.Advantageously, a lateral end of the reinforcement comprises a secondflange, extending in a plane parallel to the plane in which the lateralwall of the box in contact with said reinforcement extends, so thatcontact between the reinforcement and the wall of the box in contactwith said reinforcement is flat-to-flat. Thus, the first and/or secondflanges improve the mechanical retention of the reinforcement on the boxvia the wall of the box in contact with said reinforcement, its upperwall and/or its lower wall, by increasing the surface area ofreinforcement and box that are to be brazed together.

According to one embodiment, a top of the reinforcement comprises aprotrusion espousing an upper part of the lateral wall of the box incontact with said reinforcement.

According to another embodiment, the reinforcement comprises at leastone clip which clips onto the box. The clips are clipped, for example,to the left-hand wall, the upper wall and/or the lower wall. They thusmake it easier for the reinforcement to be pre-positioned on the boxwhile at the same time improving the mechanical retention of thereinforcement on the box.

According to one aspect of the invention, the reinforcement is acomponent separate from the box.

According to another aspect of the invention, the reinforcement is acomponent formed as an integral part of the box. The reinforcement is,for example, formed as one with the left-hand wall, the upper walland/or the lower wall of the box.

The invention also relates to an air intake module for a motor vehicleengine comprising an exchanger as described hereinabove.

To make the features explained hereinabove easier to describe, drawingshave been attached which depict, schematically and solely by way ofnonlimiting example, practical embodiments of the stacked plate heatexchanger of the invention. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating, in exploded form, a heatexchanger according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a lateral part of the box and of theassociated plates;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a lower or upper part of the box and ofthe associated plates, with the reinforcement not having been depicted;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 depicting an alternative form ofembodiment;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a lateral edge of the exchanger, and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of part of a lateral edge of the exchangerillustrating an alternative form of FIG. 5.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the invention relates to a heat exchanger 1allowing an exchange of heat between a first fluid, notably a liquidcoolant C, and a second fluid that will be referred to as the fluid thatis to be cooled G, for example a gas. It may be a charge air cooler, inwhich a stream of compressed air, intended to be supplied to acombustion engine, for example a motor vehicle engine, is cooled by aliquid coolant, notably a mixture of water and glycol.

The exchanger 1 comprises a heat exchange core bundle 2 comprising astack of plates 4 which stack is intended to allow an exchange of heatbetween the liquid coolant C and the fluid to be cooled G circulating incontact with the plates 4. The plates 4 between them delimit alternatingcircuits 6, 8 for the fluid that is to be cooled G and for the liquidcoolant C. The core bundle 2 is of parallelepipedal overall shape hereand has an inlet face 10 and an opposite outlet face, not visible, forthe fluid that is to be cooled G. On either side of the stack it ends ina plate 12 referred to as the top plate and a plate 14 referred to asthe bottom plate.

The exchanger 1 comprises a box 5 in which the core bundle 2 issituated. It guides the fluid that is to be cooled G between the plates4 from the inlet face 10 to the outlet face of the core bundle 2. Hereit comprises four walls referred to as the top wall 23, right-hand wall19, bottom wall 22 and left-hand wall 18, which are joined together toform an internal volume inside which the plurality of plates 4 issituated. The left-hand wall 18 comes into contact with a firstperipheral edge 16 of the plates 4, 12, 14, the right-hand wall 19 comesinto contact with a second peripheral edge 16′ of the plates 4, 12, 14,the top wall 23 situated at the top of the stack of plates comes intocontact with the top plate 12 and the bottom wall 22 situated at thebase of the stack of plates comes into contact with the bottom plate 14.The top wall 23 may be provided with orifices 24, 26 allowing the liquidcoolant C to enter and leave the core bundle 2.

The exchanger 1 may also comprise outlet and/or inlet nozzles 28, 30 forthe liquid coolant C, these communicating with orifices 24, 26 made inthe box 5.

The various components of the exchanger are, for example, made ofaluminum or aluminum alloy. They are notably brazed together.

Each plate 4, 12, 14 comprises, for example, a substantially flat bottom31, surrounded by a peripheral border 32 ending in a flat 34 allowingthe plates to be brazed together. The circuit 8 for the liquid coolant Cis defined, firstly, by the peripheral border 32, and secondly, by oneor more of the borders 60, 60′, for example formed integrally with thebottom 31 of the plate.

The plates 4, 12, 14 are grouped in pairs and assembled by their flats34 and/or the borders 60, 60′. Thus, the circuit of the top plate and ofthe bottom plate of a pair of plates combine to constitute a circulationcanal for the liquid coolant C. Each pair of plates thus defines acirculation layer for the first fluid C. The circuits 6 for thecirculation of the fluid that is to be cooled are provided between twoopposing plates 4 of two adjacent pairs of plates 4.

In the example illustrated, the top 12 and bottom 14 plates areassembled with the top 23 and bottom 22 walls of the box to define acirculation canal for the liquid coolant C.

The plates 4 for example have the overall shape of an elongate rectanglehaving two long sides and two short sides, each plate comprising twopressed pockets 38, a first of these pockets having an inlet 40 to thecircuit 8 for the circulation of the liquid coolant C and the other ofthe pockets having an outlet 42 of the circuit 8 for the circulation ofthe liquid coolant C.

The pockets 38 are in this instance pierced with an orifice 50 for thepassage of the cooling liquid, which orifice is oriented perpendicularto the bottom 31 of the plates and which pockets are intended to comeinto contact on the pockets 38 of an adjacent plate 4 to formrespectively an inlet header, not visible, and an outlet header 44, notvisible, for the cooling fluid. The pockets 38 thus allow the firstfluid to pass from one layer to another, i.e. from one pair of plates toanother. The inlet header opens, for example, into the inlet nozzle 28via the inlet orifice 24 of the box and/or the outlet header opens, forexample, into the outlet nozzle 20 via the outlet orifice 26 of the box5.

Thus, the cooling fluid enters the core bundle 2 via the inlet nozzle 28and is then distributed between the plates 4 through the circuits 8 forthe circulation of the liquid coolant C by the inlet header. It flowsthrough the circuits 8 for the circulation of the liquid coolant C fromtheir inlets 40 to their outlets 42 where it enters the outlet header44. It then leaves the exchanger 1 via the outlet nozzle 30.

The pockets 38 are situated along one and the same short side of theplates 4, 12, 14 situated to the left in FIG. 1, i.e. in proximity tothe first peripheral edge 16 of the plates 4, 12, 14. The pockets 38 oftwo pairs of plates 4 between them determine the height of the circuits6 for the circulation of the fluid G that is to be cooled.

The exchanger 1 therefore comprises a heat exchange zone thatfacilitates the exchange of heat between the liquid coolant C and thefluid that is to be cooled G, and which extends between the pockets 38and the second peripheral edge 16′ of the plates 4. The zone in whichthe pockets 38 are situated, i.e. the zone in proximity to the firstperipheral edge of the plates, referred to as the pressed zone, is azone likely to allow the second fluid to bypass the heat exchange zone.

An inlet header tank and an outlet header tank (neither depicted) may befitted to the periphery of the box to supply and remove the fluid thatis to be cooled.

The exchanger may also comprise secondary heat exchange surfaces, forexample corrugated inserts (referenced 55 in FIG. 5) attached betweenthe plates 4 in the circuits 6 for the circulation of the fluid G thatis to be cooled. These inserts disrupt the flow of the fluid G that isto be cooled so as to improve the exchange of heat between the twofluids.

Each plate 4, 12, 14 for example comprises corrugations 52 arranged inthe circuits 8 for the circulation of the liquid coolant C. Thesecorrugations 52 extend between the pockets 38 constituting the inletheader and the outlet header 44 of the liquid coolant C and the secondperipheral edge 16′ of the plates 4, 12, 14. The corrugations 52 are,for example, derived from material from the bottom 31 of the plates 4,12, 14, notably by the pressing of the plates 4, 12, 14.

The circuit 8 for the circulation of the liquid coolant, which circuitis defined by the plates 4, 12, 14, guides the liquid coolant in anumber n of successive passes, in this instance four passes, in whichthe liquid circulates between the inlet 40 and the outlet 42 of saidcircuit. Two adjacent passes are separated, for example, by the borders60, 60′ of the plates 4, 12, 14.

The passes are arranged parallel to one another in a direction ofextension, in this instance the long side of the plates 4, 12, 14. Theycould be provided in series, one after the other.

The borders 60, 60′ are thus oriented along the long side of the plates4 to define a serpentine path along which the liquid coolant Ccirculates in each of the passes of each of the circuits 8 for thecirculation of the liquid coolant C. Some 60 of the borders extend fromthe first peripheral edge 16 of the plates 4, 12, 14 toward the secondperipheral edge 16′ of the plates 4, 12, 14 while leaving a passage sothat fluid can flow from the pass on one side of the border 60 to theother pass. They alternate with borders 60′ extending from the secondperipheral edge 16′ of the plates 4, 12, 14 toward the first peripheraledge 16 of the plates 4, 12, 14, leaving a passage so that the fluid canflow from the pass on one side of the border 60′ to the other.

The fluid G that is to be cooled circulates through the circuits 6 forthe circulation of the fluid that is to be cooled in a direction that ison the whole perpendicular to the direction of flow of the liquidcoolant C, i.e. from the front face of the core bundle 2 toward the rearface thereof.

The zone of the exchanger in which the pockets 38 are situated is liableto be subjected to steep thermal variations because the temperature ofthe liquid coolant entering or leaving it may vary considerably and overa short space of time depending on the desired use of the heatexchanger. These sharp thermal variations are likely to create stressesabove and beyond the stresses experienced by the rest of the exchanger.This pressed zone of the exchanger where the pockets 38 are situated andwhich suffers high stresses is also referred to as the stress zone 70.The stress zone 70 is therefore situated near the first peripheral edge16 of the plates 4, 12, 14, i.e. at a distance of between 0 and 30 mmaway.

According to the invention, the exchanger comprises a reinforcement 71in contact with the stress zone 70 and the box 5. The reinforcement 71here takes the form of a wall extending in a plane perpendicular to theplanes in which the left-hand wall 18 and the top wall 23 of the box 5extend. The reinforcement 71 is, for example, in contact with the entirestress zone 70. It is in contact with the box 5 notably via theleft-hand wall 18 and the top wall 23 and/or the bottom wall 22. Thereinforcement 71 in this instance is a component separate from the box 5but could also be formed as an integral part of the box 5, for examplewith the left-hand wall 18, the bottom wall 22 and/or the top wall 23.

The reinforcement 71 of the invention is illustrated in greater detailin FIG. 2. The reinforcement 71 here adopts the shape of an L-shapedwall. Specifically, a left-hand lateral end 61 of the reinforcement 71comprises a flange 72 extending in a plane parallel to the plane inwhich the left-hand wall 18 of the box 5 extends. In this way, contactbetween the reinforcement 71 and the left-hand wall 18 of the box 5 isflat to flat contact which notably makes brazing the reinforcement 71and the box 5 together easier.

In order to expand the area of contact between the reinforcement 71 andthe top wall and/or between the reinforcement 71 and the bottom wall, itis also possible to provide at least one flange at a top 62 and/orbottom end of the reinforcement 71.

FIG. 3 illustrates another aspect of the invention whereby the plates 4,12, 14 comprise bent-over edges 75 in the region of the stress zone 70.The bent-over edges 75 begin in the proximity of the first peripheraledge 16 of the plates 4, 12, 14 at a lateral end 65 of the plates 4, 12,14 that is situated on the same side as the inlet face for the fluidthat is to be cooled. They run parallel to the pressed pockets 38, i.e.in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which the bottom of the plates4, 12, 14 extends, i.e. a plane parallel to the plane in which thereinforcement extends. The bent-over edges 75 begin in particular in theregion of the flats 34 of the peripheral borders of the plates 4, 12,41. Thus contact between the reinforcement and the stress zone 70 is atleast via the bent-over edges 75. At least part of the contact betweenthe reinforcement and the contact zone 70 is therefore flat to flatcontact.

The top wall 23 of the box 5 comprises, for example, a first housing 76accommodating the upper end of the reinforcement. This first housing 76takes the form of a groove starting from one end of the top wall 23 incontact with the left-hand wall, directed toward the core bundle andextending over the stress zone 70. This first housing 76 allows thereinforcement to be prepositioned on the box 5 and held in a correctposition so that the brazing operation can be performed. An identicalhousing may also be provided on the left-hand wall (referred to as thesecond housing), and/or on the bottom wall and performing the samefunction as the first housing 76 namely that of allowing thereinforcement to be prepositioned on the box 5 and held in a correctposition so that the brazing operation can be carried out.

FIG. 4 depicts the reinforcement 71 in an embodiment in which itcomprises a protrusion 80 situated at the top end 62 of thereinforcement 71 and projecting from the left-hand lateral end 61 of thereinforcement 71 in contact with the left-hand wall 18 of the box 5. Theprotrusion 80 here espouses an upper part 81 of the left-hand wall 18 ofthe box 5. In the example depicted, the protrusion 80 has a curvedportion espousing the upper part 81 of the left-hand wall 18 which islikewise curved. This protrusion 80 notably makes it possible to limitthe ingress of the fluid that is to be cooled into the bypass zone, i.e.the stress zone of the exchanger.

FIG. 5 shows one embodiment in which the reinforcement 71 is continuousfrom an upper edge to a lower edge of the reinforcement, i.e. from thetop wall 23 to the bottom wall 22 of the box 5. The reinforcement 71 isthus in contact with all the plates 4, 12, 14. It therefore allows theentire stress zone of the exchanger 1 to be strengthened.

It may also be noticed from this figure that the reinforcement 71 leavesthe fluid that is to be cooled free to circulate over the entire heatexchange zone. The reinforcement 71 is thus in contact at its left-handlateral end with the left-hand wall 18 of the box 5 and continues towardthe inside of the core bundle 2, its right-hand lateral end 63 stoppingat the boundary between the bypass zone and the heat exchange zonewithout protruding into the heat exchange zone, i.e. stopping at theboundary between the stress zone and the rest of the exchanger.

The reinforcement 71 may also comprise, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6,clips 85. These clips 85 are, for example, situated at the left-handlateral end 61 of the reinforcement 71 (FIG. 5) so as to clip onto theleft-hand wall of the box 5. They are notably situated on the upper endof the reinforcement 71 (FIG. 6) so as to clip onto the top wall 23 ofthe box 5.

The clips 85 clip onto the left-hand wall 18, onto the bottom wall 22and/or onto the top wall 23 of the box 5 at notches 86 that the box has.The clips 85 thus enter the notches 86 and have a bent-over part 87 incontact with an opposite face of the left-hand wall 18 to the face ofthe left-hand wall 18 with which the reinforcement 71 is in contact, soas to clamp the left-hand wall 18.

These clips 85 serve the purpose of mechanically retaining thereinforcement 71 on the box 5 in order notably to optimize the processof brazing these two elements together.

1. A stacked plate heat exchanger (1) comprises a plurality of stackedplates (4, 12, 14) inside a box (5), said plurality of stacked plates(4, 12, 14) is intended to allow exchange of heat between a first and asecond fluid (C, G) circulating in contact with said plurality ofstacked plates (4, 12, 14), said plurality of stacked plates (4, 12, 14)comprising a stress zone (70) intended to experience thermal variationsliable to create mechanical stresses, with a reinforcement (71) incontact with said stress zone (70) and said box (5).
 2. The exchanger(1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of stacked plates (4,12, 14) are arranged in pairs, each pair of plates defining acirculation layer for the first fluid (C), each plate (4, 12, 14)comprising a pressed zone having pressed pockets (38) for the passage ofthe first fluid (C) from one circulation layer to another circulationlayer, with said stress zone (70) corresponding to said pressed zone. 3.The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a heatexchange zone intended to encourage exchange of heat between the firstand the second fluid (C, G), and a bypass zone able to allow the secondfluid (G) to bypass said heat exchange zone, said bypass zonecorresponding to said stress zone (70), said reinforcement (71) allowingthe second fluid (G) to circulate freely over an entire exchange zone.4. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality ofstacked plates (4, 12, 14) comprise, at said stress zone (70), abent-over edge (75) extending in a plane perpendicular to a plane inwhich said plurality of stacked plates (4, 12, 14) extend so thatcontact between said reinforcement (71) and said stress zone (70) is atleast via said bent-over edge (75).
 5. The exchanger (1) as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said box (5) comprises two lateral walls (18, 19)facing a peripheral edge of said plurality of stacked plates (4, 12,14), and a lower wall (22) and/or an upper wall (23) which is/aresituated at the top and at the bottom of said plurality of stackedplates (4, 12, 14).
 6. The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 5, whereinsaid reinforcement (71) is in contact with one of said lateral walls(18) of said box (5), with said lateral wall (18) situated in theproximity of said stress zone (70).
 7. The exchanger (1) as claimed inclaim 5, wherein said reinforcement (71) is in contact with said upperwall (23) and/or with said lower wall (22).
 8. The exchanger (1) asclaimed in claim 5, wherein said upper wall (23) of said box (5)comprises a first housing (76) accommodating said reinforcement (71). 9.The exchanger (1) as claimed in claim 7, wherein said lateral wall (18)of said box (5) in contact with said reinforcement (71) comprises asecond housing accommodating said reinforcement (71).
 10. The exchanger(1) as claimed in claim 5, wherein an upper end (62) and/or a lower endof said reinforcement (71) comprises a first flange, extending in aplane parallel to the plane in which said upper and lower walls (22, 23)of said box (5) extend so that contact between said reinforcement (71)and said upper wall (23) and/or between said reinforcement (71) and saidlower wall (22) is flat-to-flat.
 11. The exchanger (1) as claimed inclaim 6, wherein a top of said reinforcement (71) comprises a protrusion(80) espousing an upper part (81) of said lateral wall (18) of said box(5) in contact with said reinforcement (71).
 12. The exchanger (1) asclaimed in claim 6, wherein a lateral end (61) of said reinforcement(71) comprises a second flange (72), extending in a plane parallel tothe plane in which said lateral wall (18) of said box (5) in contactwith said reinforcement (71), referred to as left-hand wall (18),extends, so that contact between said reinforcement (71) and saidleft-hand wall (18) of said box (5) is flat-to-flat.
 13. The exchanger(1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reinforcement (71) comprises atleast one clip (85) which clips onto said box (5).
 14. The exchanger (1)as claimed in claim 1, in which said reinforcement (71) is continuousfrom an upper edge to a lower edge of said reinforcement (71) so thatsaid reinforcement (71) is in contact with all of said plurality ofstacked plates (4, 12, 14).
 15. An air intake module for a motor vehicleengine comprising an exchanger (1) as claimed in claim
 1. 16. Theexchanger (1) as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a heat exchangezone intended to encourage exchange of heat between the first and thesecond fluid (C, G), and a bypass zone able to allow the second fluid(G) to bypass said heat exchange zone, said bypass zone corresponding tosaid stress zone (70), said reinforcement (71) allowing the second fluid(G) to circulate freely over an entire exchange zone.
 17. The exchanger(1) as claimed in claim 6, wherein said reinforcement (71) is in contactwith said upper wall (23) and/or with said lower wall (22).